Last chapter was a bit slower... the aftermath. I have no more drama planned for now, if that makes you feel better!
I'm so, so sorry this chapter is so late! At first it was because I was far too busy but for the last week I had a virus on my computer and couldn't open the document to finish writing but it seems to have fixed itself now.
We had about 18" of snow here so I was pretty much stranded, the only reason I've managed to get this chapter up now in all honesty.
I hope you enjoy the chapter :)
Disclaimer: Everything is SM's. I don't even own the books, as such. I am looking after them for a friend... permanently.
Last chapter...
"It seems all your heroics paid off overall, son." Carlisle smiled proudly.
"It was worth it." Edward mumbled.
"Yes, it was." Carlisle's eyes found mine and he nodded barely noticeably and seemingly absent-mindedly. I looked away awkwardly, unable to shake the feeling that Dr Cullen knew more than I would like.
"Well, I've got some calls to make. You shouldn't technically be out of bed, Bella, but as long as your careful and don't over exert yourself then I don't see a problem. If you feel any worse then call for assistance and we will get you back into bed, okay?"
"Yes, Dr Cullen. Thank you."
"Not to worry. You know the drill with the morphine pump, I assume, Edward?"
"I do. I'll see you later, dad."
"I think your dad might know about us..." I admitted nervously.
"I think you might be onto something there." He answered with a shrug which led to him hissing in pain.
"Careful." I chided.
"It's nothing." He said, but the wince made it unconvincing.
"Remember the last time I was here?"
"Mmhm."
"I didn't want the pain meds even though I needed them."
"Don't even think about it, Bella." He warned.
"You can't rest if you're in pain." I pointed out, inching my hand towards the button.
"I'll be fine as long as I can see your beautiful face." He argued but I shook my head in disappointment.
"That, Mr Cullen, was pathetic. I'm pressing the button."
"Please don't?" He pouted, his brows pulling together in a frown.
"Too late." I whispered, "Sweet dreams."
"They'll be... anything but... sweet." He trailed off. Boy did his meds kick in fast. I laughed lightly, clenching my teeth against the increase in pain this caused.
Alice and Jasper's arrival on Thursday told us that the school had been closed. According to our visitors, the cops had finished taking pictures or whatever it was they were doing but now there was a clean up needed. It probably wouldn't have gone down too well if they left my pool of blood in the hallway.
Emmett was also around for a lot of the day but Rose had to work, sending a promise of visiting later. Really I would have liked to simply rest in the hospital room with Bella but I couldn't bear telling my family to leave. I could tell Bella was also exhausted, her sighs frequent and plenty of yawns stifled.
Normally Alice would have picked up on those sorts of things but it would seem she was too relieved that we had all made it out of the James commotion alive to pay attention to the current scene. Emmett helped to make the atmosphere light and the hours passed with various forms of entertainment from him, whether intentional or not, while Jasper sat quietly on the end of Bella's bed.
To anyone else Jasper would probably appear the same but I could sense the slight difference in his behaviour. He seemed to be more withdrawn, zoning out instead of calm and relaxed. I wanted to talk to him but there was never an opportunity for us to be alone. I'd just have to wait.
Charlie paid Bella a brief visit, informing us that James had been transported to Seattle prison where they had the facilities to keep him. Forks wasn't designed for his kind of criminal. Jasper, Emmett and Alice were going to the station for interviews some time during the day and I was guiltily looking forward to the peace and quiet. Myself and Bella would be questioned some time over the next couple of days but they were delaying it to ensure we were in a fit state. Particularly Bella, since her head injuries had already affected her memory. She confessed that she hadn't remembered what happened until a while after she woke up.
Chief Swan didn't mention anything about accusations so hopefully Bella and I wouldn't come under scrutiny as people poked their noses into our slightly illegal private life. Or perhaps James was buying him time. We could only wait and see.
Bella insisted she was feeling fine whenever I asked but I couldn't find it in me to believe her. I watched her expressions and the occasional tense of her jaw as she gritted her teeth. When Carlisle came to check on her she also told him she was doing fine but he pressed the matter, reminding her that she had to tell him the truth so that he could give his professional opinion as to whether she was well enough to be safely discharged from the hospital. She confessed in a whisper that it felt like someone was drilling in her head and quick movements still caused her pain. The nausea had apparently gone and the dizziness was minimal if she got up to go to go anywhere.
Late on Thursday the room was emptied, except for Bella, and the screen was put between us so that my wound could be cleaned and the bandages replaced. I observed the process with interest, taking in the sight of the nasty, red mark on my stomach, complete with stitches. The cleaning was uncomfortable, the injury was sensitive and it hurt to touch. My teeth were clenched and my fingers gripped onto the bed sheets but I tried to hold back my hisses of pain, not wanting to cause Bella to worry more than she already did.
After everything she had been through I thought Bella had been coping well, better then I ever would have expected. It seemed to be as though she saw things with James as only a small bump in the road but I'd known she was strong mentally. And stubborn. We can't forget stubborn.
Even though all I had wanted throughout the day was to go to sleep I found that now the time had come where I finally could, my body wouldn't cooperate. Instead, I trained my eyes on Bella's sleeping form, so peaceful. She deserved the peace, at last. Not just after a day of none stop visitors but after the weeks of manipulation and pain she had gone through. I was proud of her and as cliché as it sounds, she is everything I've ever wanted.
Hours into the night I was still awake and I jumped slightly, startled, as Bella cried out.
"No! Not him... mine... me." She tossed on the bed, kicking at the sheets.
"Bella?" I called to her.
"Please don't." She whimpered, her body shaking.
"Bella! Wake up." I urged, unable to go to her. "Please, Bella."
"Wait... too late."
"Bella!" I shouted.
"Wh-what?" She sat up, looking at me with wide eyes. "What's wrong?" She asked, panicked.
"You were talking." I informed her and she responded with a blush and a grimace.
"Sorry." She apologised, her eyes downcast.
"Are you okay?"
"I'm fine. It was just a dream." She shrugged, lying back down and turning her back to me.
"You didn't sound fine."
"Go to sleep, Edward." She dismissed as she curled her legs up.
"Don't shut me out, Bella." My plea was met with silence and I clung to the hope that this was temporary, that Bella just had to deal with this herself before she could let me in.
...
On Saturday morning Bella was discharged from hospital, leaving me alone in our room, longing for her company. Being stuck here hadn't been so bad when she had been there to talk to but now everything seemed more tedious and repetitive. The food was terrible and I was desperate for a proper home cooked meal. After spending three days with Bella it was difficult to adjust to not having her around and I wished I didn't have to. This made me realise that I couldn't imagine my life without Bella now, nothing was the same.
Carlisle came in to check on me from time to time, along with other nurses and they were positive that everything was fine. The wound was cleaned regularly and I could see the gradual change in its appearance for myself.
Esme turned up for a few hours at a time, bringing with her stacks of books and magazines to amuse me with as well as stories of the outside world. She had cleaned my flat, apparently, clearing out the food from the fridge and making it "presentable". I didn't know there had been anything wrong with the state of my place but who was I to argue. She was mothering me and I knew she needed to.
She told me how proud she was of me but that's not exactly how I saw it. I hadn't been brave, I'd been stupid. But that didn't mean I regretted what I had done, not one bit. I would take a bullet again and again if it meant protecting Bella. Or any of my family, for that matter. Maybe we had gone about it wrong but when we knew I was going to be fine then there was no reason to regret my actions. I'd hope that anyone of the other would have done the same. In fact, I know they would have.
Bella had not returned to the hospital by Sunday evening but Jasper had informed me that Alice and Emmett were with her, attempting to cheer her up before she returned to school on Monday. We hadn't discussed her bad dream from Thursday night. Or the one from Friday night. Knowing her she would be pushing it to the back of her mind, pretending it wasn't happening.
I'd been flicking through a sports magazine when Esme knocked on the door Sunday night. She slipped into the room with a gentle smile on her face, a cup of coffee in both hands. As she approached my bed she held one out to me.
"It's decaffeinated." She assured me as though I'd asked, but I took it from her gratefully. There was only so much water I could drink.
"Thank you. What brings you to my humble lodgings so late in the day?" I inquired, taking a sip of the hot liquid and letting it slide down my throat.
"I thought you might like some company."
"Yes, that would be nice, but I know that look, what is it?" I pressed, she was building up to something, her expression was thoughtful as her gaze fixed absent-mindedly on the wall across from her.
"I wanted to talk to you about Isabella."
"You did?" I asked, only mildly surprised. I had a feeling I knew exactly where this was going. Unfortunately nothing got past my mother.
"She's a lovely girl, Edward."
"Yes, she is."
"You like her a lot."
I let out a sigh. "Yeah, I do." I answered, meeting my mother's gaze.
"It is against the law for a teacher to have a relationship with a student. I know for a fact that you can be stubborn when there is something you want and I get the impression that the same goes for Isabella. I doubt you need reminding but be careful, Edward. It is more than just your futures on the line here."
"Thank you, I understand."
"She really likes you, too, Edward. I can see she's good for you. You're happier when you're around her. It's like you were made for each other." Esme had a soft smile on her face, her eyes were glistening with tears.
"I know, it feels that way. She will graduate in a few months."
"When you're better you can bring her over for a family dinner, Alice and Emmett would come too, of course. Myself and your father would love to get to know her."
"That would be nice," I smiled, glad that my parents accepted our relationship. "I guess dad knows, too, then?"
"Yes, he does. The way you are together speaks for itself. You need to keep an eye on that, we wouldn't want Chief Swan catching on, or anyone else for that matter. Public interactions should be kept to a minimum. Not long to wait now." She patted my hand before tucking her hair behind her ears and standing up. "You get some rest now, I'll see you tomorrow."
"Night, mom."
...
On Monday Bella, Alice and Jasper were all back at school and Carlisle, Emmett and Rosalie were working. I slept for as long as was physically possible, whiling away the slow hours by myself. I once again found myself flicking through a book and listening to my Ipod that Esme had brought in a few days earlier. The music was blaring through the headphones, blocking out the sounds of the hospital beyond my room and I closed my eyes, sinking back into my pillow and drumming my fingers against the mattress in beat with the song.
Soft, warm lips met mine and for a moment I thought I was dreaming once more. I snaked my hands into long, silky hair, holding the lips in place. I felt fingers gripping my hair and I moaned, opening my eyes to find Bella's beautiful, flushed face. She pulled away, breathless, and met my gaze with dark, brown eyes. I refused to release her hair, keeping her face close to mine as I smirked at her, licking my lips hungrily. Damn, I wanted her.
"Good afternoon Mr. Cullen." She breathed.
"It is now." I retorted, claiming her lips once more.
"I've missed you."
"Sorry, Alice held me hostage."
"Fucking pixie!" I growled and she raised her eyebrows at me. "What?"
"She's my best friend."
"Why should she get you all to herself?"
"Didn't you get enough of me Thursday and Friday?" She asked, sitting down in the chair by my bed and taking a sip from my glass of water.
"Nowhere near. It just made me want you more than ever." She blushed, tugging her bottom lip between her teeth. "Are you trying to kill me?" I groaned.
"Well the last attempt didn't succeed." She teased, indicating to the hospital bed.
"Better luck next time."
"Thanks, you're kind of indestructible."
"I need to be to look after you."
"Hey! I'm not that bad." She argued, crossing her arms across her chest.
"You're a regular at the hospital, I'm sure you're on first name terms with most of the staff."
"I am not. It's not my fault I'm just a little bit clumsy." She defended.
"Are you sure you don't secretly enjoy coming here?"
"The thing is... there's this really hot doctor and every time I see him I just want to tear his clothes off."
"I knew you didn't come to see me." I sighed, pouting.
"Busted. You're not so bad to look at, though." She smirked, raking her eyes shamelessly over me.
"You'll pay for this, you know." I warned.
"When are you going to get discharged?"
"In a few days, hopefully."
"Thank fuck for that."
"A bit impatient, aren't you?"
"There's no privacy around here." She huffed.
"You want me all to yourself?"
"I'm bored of this hospital."
"I can think of a few ways to entertain you."
"Are any of them rated PG?"
"No..."
"Then I will settle for talking to you."
"If your sure?"
"Considering where we are I think it's for the best."
"I don't know how much longer I can last, you know!"
"You're not the only one. Why did you have to go and get yourself shot?"
"I was rescuing my damsel in distress."
"Why thank you, kind sir."
"It was my pleasure. Is there a kiss to express you gratitude?" She stood, leaning across my bed and bringing her lips to mine for a chaste kiss but I pulled her closer, sucking her bottom lip into my mouth and relishing the taste of her. I moved my hand to cup her breast, causing her to moan deliciously.
She tugged my hand from behind her neck and backed away, looking slightly dazed.
"What's wrong?" I questioned.
"We can't do this here, Edward. I'm already getting carried away."
"You're right but I just can't control myself around you."
"I know, it's not easy for me, either."
"I really need to find out when I can get out of here."
"Your health is the priority, Edward. Let them do their jobs." She told me, running a hand through her hair to get the tangles out.
"I feel fine now. I can recover just as well at home as I can here." I assured her, still able to taste her on my tongue.
"That's not for you to decide. Anyway, I've got to get going. Charlie will be back from work soon." She informed me.
"Okay, will you be back tomorrow?" I didn't want to be pushy but my addiction to her was taking over.
"I think so, don't have too much fun when I'm gone." She smiled, slinging her bag onto her shoulder.
"I'll try not to but some of the nurses are a riot." I grinned and she rolled her eyes.
"Bye Edward."
"Goodbye, Miss Swan. If you see Carlisle can you send him my way? We have some matters to discuss." Such as my release.
"Will do." She called back as she walked across the room and my eyes were trained on the slight sway on her hips. It had been a long week.
...
On Tuesday Bella returned once more, this time with Jasper and Alice. I was pleased to see them all but it meant I had to keep myself in check around Bella. Groping her when in company wasn't on my to do list.
I broke the good news to them all, that I would be going home Midday on Wednesday. I couldn't wait to be back in the familiar surroundings of my apartment where I had proper facilities at hand and the means to make a good meal.
Carlisle had told me that I must still take it easy, making sure I get plenty of rest so that I could continue to recover and he also told me that I wouldn't be going to work for at least a couple more weeks. I had begun walking short distances, building up my strength once more. It was uncomfortable but definitely manageable.
Both Esme and Carlisle came to my hospital room on Wednesday with a bag to pack up the belongings that were now strewn across the small space. Carlisle pushed me through the hospital corridors in a wheelchair with Esme by my side. Once out in the car park we walked the short distance to my parents car and Esme held the door for me as I slid gingerly into the back seat. It felt good to get fresh air and be out in the open once again, it seemed more like months than days since I had been exposed to the rainy weather of Forks.
Once we arrived at my apartment Esme took my bag once more while Carlisle helped me. The stairs were a challenge and I found myself leaning against Carlisle as we took the steps one by one at a slow pace. I didn't intend to use those for a while.
I was deposited on the sofa as the kettle was boiled and lunch was prepared. It was a strange feeling, having people wait on me in my own apartment. It wasn't like when I was younger and my parents were looking after me because I'm a grown man now, I've spent years doing everything for myself.
Although I'd barely done anything but sleep recently, the small amount of exercise I had done to make it home had tired me out and I felt my eyelids drooping. My parents noticed my exhaustion and left after offering to help me to my room, which was an offer I declined, opting instead to remain on the sofa for now. I settled down, pulling a cushion under my head and switching off the television before closing my eyes and soon dozing off into a much needed sleep.
I awoke to a dark and silent apartment and slowly eased myself up into a sitting position, glancing around me slightly disorientated. It felt odd to wake up here when I had been away for so long, I had been expecting the white hospital walls to be glaring at me.
Switching on lights as I went, I headed to the bathroom and once I had finished up in there I went to the kitchen in search of some food. The cupboards and fridge were fully stocked and I was certain I had my mother to thank for that.
In the freezer I found some lasagne and pulled out a portion, sticking it in the oven to heat up. The smell soon filled the apartment and had my mouth watering. I'd been wanting this for a week and the time was finally here. I shovelled the food into my mouth as though I hadn't eaten in weeks and since I didn't actually count what the hospital served as food then I really hadn't eaten in a week.
I was gulping down a glass of water and my pain medication when the phone rang. I snatched it up, assuming it would be Esme checking that I was still alive and I had eaten but it wasn't my mother's voice on the line, it was Bella's.
"Hello?"
"Hey, Edward. It's Bella." I smiled at the sound of her voice.
"This is a pleasant surprise." I told her genuinely, not that I hadn't wanted to talk to Esme.
"How is it being back at home?" She asked as I sunk back onto the sofa.
"Brilliant. I've missed it, that's for sure. There's nothing like waking up on your own sofa."
"What's wrong with your bed?"
"Nothing if you're in it but it was so far away."
"You're getting lazy." She teased and I could hear the smile from her tone.
"I know how you can help me with that."
"Of course you do. Since we're sort of on the topic, I have something to tell you."
"You bought me a pedometer?"
"What? No. Charlie's going to Seattle tomorrow and he will be gone for a few days. They've asked him to help with the case on James."
"Is this some cruel joke?"
"No, he's all packed and ready to go."
"You can stay here... that's if you wanted to." I offered, hoping she would accept.
"I'd love to. Somebody has to keep an eye on you, don't they."
"They do, and you're definitely the best person for the job. I'm seriously tempted to write your dad a note to thank him for leaving town... he might get a bit suspicious though."
"Just a bit."
"I think somebody out there has answered my prayers. Or maybe I'm dreaming... I'm not dreaming, right?"
"Oh, I don't know. Pinch yourself and you will soon find out!" She laughed.
"Ouch. There's no doubt about it, I'm awake." I informed her and I knew she would be rolling her eyes at my antics.
"It's good to know."
"I thought you would like to know."
"You were right. Maybe."
"I'm always right, you should have learned that by know, Miss Swan."
"Somebody is getting a bit ahead of themselves over there."
"Now who might you be talking about? Not me, I hope. I would have to punish you for being so rude."
"Is that so?"
"Oh yes. I don't take that sort of behaviour lightly."
"Well I will arrive promptly after school tomorrow for my punishment, Mr. Cullen."
"Don't be late."
"What if I am?"
"The punishment will be far more severe."
"We wouldn't want that now, would we?"
"No, definitely not. I will see you tomorrow, Bella."
"Goodnight, Edward."
"It will be, I'm sure."
Author's Note:
So that was the 25th chapter! To think this was going to be a one chapter shindig at first. It was shorter than expected but it's almost midnight and I wanted to get this up today since I'm not around tomorrow.
Feel free to let me know what you think by review, pm, Twitter or Facebook.
My Twitter user name is SoWoahNow and the link to my Facebook is on my profile :)
I'm just going to stay here and snuggle in my bed socks and pyjamas until I can get out. :)